


One Thing After Another

by The_regression_writer



Category: Commentary crew, The eboys - Fandom
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Angst, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Non-Sexual Age Play, james is very caring but also what the fuck will, will is just having a really bad day and james is here to help him out
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-04
Updated: 2020-06-04
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:29:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24535420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_regression_writer/pseuds/The_regression_writer
Summary: “Will have you been drinking…?” James’ half assed joke faded as Will stayed still on the floor. Will didn’t answer, he just stared at the ground. He heard the unmistakable sound and he was afraid that if he looked at it he might burst into tears. James didn’t speak for a moment. He could tell that something was horribly wrong but he wouldn’t dare comment on it. He just kneeled next to the boy who was now sniffling slightly. “Will?” The boy still didn’t respond, he just pushed himself up, and looked down at the phone which was completely shattered in his hand. The hardwood floor had knocked some chunks out of it and what bit of the screen was left was in a constant state of switching itself from green to purple flashes. It was completely useless and Will couldn’t handle it anymore.He couldn’t handle it anymore.
Relationships: Will Lenney/James Marriott
Comments: 3
Kudos: 93





	One Thing After Another

To say that will was having a “bad day” would be the understatement of the fucking year. The day started out bad and slowly turned worse. First he got cancelled on at the last minute for two videos he had planned for the second channel, and then he found out his friends were fighting yet again so George was texting him about possibly staying the night. Will knew the flat was a mess and he could have procrastinated cleaning until next week when Gee was due back, but of course Alex and George had to go and get in an argument over fifa of all things. The two had been at each other's necks for the past few weeks in quarantine and Will was sick of their bickering. You would think living and being stuck with the love of your life wouldn’t be so damn complicated. 

Then of course, James had to text while Will was in the middle of cleaning, resulting in him stupidly knocking the back of his head on the underside of the counter he had been picking up miscellaneous trash from beneath. If he didn't have a headache before, he definitely had one then. Will had to sit back for a moment and try not to cry, his apartment stared back at him, all of the messes he had made while being careless watching him, waiting for him to get back up again. 

From: Jim Mert  
‘im on my way to your flat, can we chat for a minute?’

Will took a deep breath and sat the phone down. His crush of almost a year now would be at his apartment any minute to see the mess of a human he had been the past week. Will hadn’t realized just how much he relied on Gee to keep the apartment looking like it was liveable. Will threw himself to his feet as another burst of energy found him. There was no way James could see the place like this. 

He ran around the room, grabbing the clothes scattered across the room and frantically running to throw them in his closet. He really needed to do laundry. His eyes landed on the table with dismay, did he really order that much uber eats? His phone rang again in his pocket as he just picked up the last box, causing it all to come tumbling down again. He could feel his body shaking violently, but he couldn’t focus on that. Not right now. He just wanted one single thing to go right for him, he just didn’t want James fucking Marriott to see his flat a mess. 

From: Jim Mert  
‘im on my way up. if youre not awake im breaking the door.’

Will felt his stomach churn as he sent a quick text ‘okay’ back and quickly began picking everything up again. With a glance he could see the trash can was full. God of course it was. Will knew that rationally it wouldn’t really matter what James thought of him, rationally he knew that it was all his fault. Will wasn’t feeling very rational. 

The sound of knocking startled Will and he quickly threw the trash pile he had gathered in his arms on the floor by the trash can. He couldn’t think of an alternative, nothing made sense. His hands shook as he looked at the even bigger mess he had created. He couldn’t do anything but mumble stupidly to himself as he looked around to the apartment which still looked messy and destroyed. 

“Deep breaths, deep breaths, it’s not a big deal. Big big big thoughts.” Will bit his lip as he tried not to let himself cry.

Knocking sounded at the door again, pulling Will back to the present. He tugged at the long sleeves of his oversized hoodie, regretting the lazy wardrobe choice he had made that morning. Of all days for him to be a piece of shit, he really wished it hadn’t been today. 

Will found a smile somewhere in himself and swung open the door, praying to god that James wouldn’t see through his cracking exterior. “Hey, hi, hello, come in!” He already hated the interaction. James made him stupid with those stupid flirty smiles and his stupid kind eyes. Will had to turn away to keep from babbling incoherently. There was too much going on. His tongue felt swollen and he felt wrong being around James while his skin crawled. 

“Hey man, I just wanted to discuss something with you real quick if you had a minute.” James seemingly ignored Will’s messy apartment in favour of getting straight to the point. One thing Will loved about James was he didn’t care to beat around the bush about what was going on in his head. Will wished he could say the same for himself.

“Yeah sure, what you on about?” Will tried to steady his hands by fiddling with the hem of his hoodie. The colour was pretty. Mint green and bright against his fingertips. He hardly ever wore it anymore but it made him feel nice when he did.. It was pretty. 

“I was wondering if for our next video together we might discuss…” Will’s hands felt clammy as he tried to think. Did they have a video scheduled for today? He couldn’t remember, it was so hard to think of anything to do with work. He pulled out his phone to check his calendar. Not only did he have a video with James, but he was supposed to have a package arrive today for it. Of course the neighbors must have nicked his mail again by accident. The poor woman was old and couldn’t see the mailbox numbers well. 

“Will are you listening?” James sounded annoyed, and Will had to focus not to shrink. He didn’t mean to make James upset, he just couldn’t think. 

“Yeah o’ course I am!” Will tried to sound indignant, but he knew that he just sounded whiny. Everything was falling apart and he couldn’t have James know about this specific thing which would surely ruin their friendship. Not even George knew about this. 

“Are you doin’ alright Will? We don’t have to discuss this right now.” James was so sweet, so caring. His voice was deep and smooth. His presence was calming, even while Will’s brain raced. He turned towards James, looking up from his phone he had been blankly staring at for the past few minutes. James who was real and there and one of Will’s best friends. James who Will could talk to about anything no matter what. James who Will had a stupid infatuation with that he just couldn’t seem to shake. 

“No it’s all good mate, I’m just-” Will turned, and hit his foot on one of the random chairs he had pulled out from the counter while trying to clean under it, and his body pitched forward to the ground. A dull thud accompanied by the sound of glass shattering. 

“Will have you been drinking…?” James’ half assed joke faded as Will stayed still on the floor. Will didn’t answer, he just stared at the ground. He heard the unmistakable sound and he was afraid that if he looked at it he might burst into tears. James didn’t speak for a moment. He could tell that something was horribly wrong but he wouldn’t dare comment on it. He just kneeled next to the boy who was now sniffling slightly. “Will?” The boy still didn’t respond, he just pushed himself up, and looked down at the phone which was completely shattered in his hand. The hardwood floor had knocked some chunks out of it and what bit of the screen was left was in a constant state of switching itself from green to purple flashes. It was completely useless and Will couldn’t handle it anymore. 

He couldn’t handle it anymore. 

A single sob broke forth, followed by another, and then by a plethora of them. Hot tears burned at his face and he could feel himself spiraling, slipping in front of the man he had been infatuated with for what seemed like forever. It was all too much to handle. 

“Jesus, Will, hey it’s okay I promise we can get you a new phone!” James’ tone was frantic, which only made Will sob louder. It was all over, he had broken, and he couldn’t think big anymore. It didn’t matter that they could get him a new phone, he wanted this phone. He knew he was being dramatic, he knew it was all stupid but he didn’t want a new one he wanted his that he was used to his that he had half a million pictures and videos of James in he wanted to stop thinking so much. 

“Don’ wanna new- new one!” Will could hear the pitch in his voice skyrocketing, could feel his grip on reality slipping. Could feel his sense of self slipping, and he only cried more. He could feel James watching as he fell apart all at once. 

James didn’t know what to do. Not now, not when he was watching Will sob uncontrollably, gripping the shards of his phone in his hand, so tightly that James was sure he would cut his hand on the glass screen. 

James tried not to make a sound, stunned into silence as he glanced up to look into Will’s eyes. Will wasn’t present though, he was somewhere far away, allowing silent tears to fall down his cheeks. James noticed how pretty he was, even in devastation. Everything about Will’s features were sharp, an oxymoron to the boy himself. Sharp cheekbones against soft eyes. Angular jawline against infectious laughter. Pretty boy against a helpless soul. 

James didn’t think, he didn’t allow himself to dwell on the antonyms of Will Lenney, but rather silently pulled the shaking boy into his arms, desperate to bring his friend back to the present for fear of the boy getting too lost in his own head. 

“You gotsa go, Jamey…” James tried not to let the comment sting as Will curled up into James’ chest. Yet again, another oxymoron. The words he spoke in comparison to his actions left James reeling. It was entirely too much at once, but he was sure that if he felt that way, Will must be a hundred times worse. 

So James stayed, and held the boy who protested his presence, until all the words of protest fell away into incoherent blubbering. James couldn’t even bring himself to think of any ways to escape it. Will obviously needed him, and no matter how much James tried to convince himself that he didn’t care deeply for this boy, he couldn’t bring himself to even remotely be teasing with him. James had it bad, because even when tears were rolling down Will’s face, James still found him beautiful. 

“Wha’re you ‘inkin abou’?” Will spoke up from where he now was calmly balled up in James’ lap. His voice was soft, and high. James thought it a bit odd, but couldn’t think of a way to ask why Will was acting out in such a way after the display. 

“Wonderin what I might eat in a bit.” James lied smoothly, knowing he would never be able to lie out the complexity of his thoughts and feelings for the man who looked up at him with curious eyes at that moment. He was thankful to look down in time to catch a curt nod. 

“I wan’ mac’roni cheese..” Will sat up, somehow managing to look small even then. It was as if his whole demeanor had changed in a matter of minutes. The sudden mood swing gave James whiplash. He wasn’t sure if he should bring up the sudden change or just allow it to run its course. It was hard to think with bright eyes staring at him so expectantly. 

Will didn’t seem like he was going to wait for him to make the decision, as he suddenly stood up, toddling to the kitchen on unsure feet. James couldn’t understand the behaviour, although something at the back of his mind told him to follow. To care for the boy who suddenly seemed much more clumsy than the man James had come to know well over the years. 

James was glad to have listened to that instinct, because as soon as he got up and started towards the kitchen, a loud crash sounded. Pots and pans had come flying out of the cabinet. James rounded the corner just in time to catch one which was about to hit a cowering Will on the head. 

“Should watch what you’re doin’ man. Could get hurt.” James felt odd for stating the obvious to his friend, who was older than himself, but the same instinct told him that he should tread carefully, talk, and teach. Something wasn’t right but James couldn’t let his mind linger on it. He just busied himself with putting away the stuff which had fallen. 

“Ey! ‘M gonna make roni!” Will shouted, and hit James. It was as if Will was a spoiled child who had never been taught any different. James tried not to show how much the punch had hurt. Something told him not to get angry at this moment. Perhaps it just wasn’t the time. After all, Will could just be irrational after emotional breaks. 

“Hey now, no hitting people.” James tried to sound stern, but ended up using a similar tone he would with a child. 

That was when it all clicked. Will wasn’t acting. This wasn’t him being dramatic. Surely out of all of those hours spent on social media and googling weird things, all of his time around Fraser he would know age regression when he saw it. Suppose it was just hard to see Will as any different than he has always been. It was as if James was seeing something new about his friend who had been the same for years. How long had he been regressing, suffering alone, dealing with it all without a soul knowing about it?

James didn’t have time to think, not while Will was looking at him with those big eyes. If James didn’t know any better, he would figure the boy was about to start crying again. 

“Are you mada me?” Will had a higher voice, much like Fraser, though Fraser was always fairly good with speech and didn’t have such issues with simple tasks. Fraser had mentioned before that he wasn’t the youngest a person could regress, but James didn’t assume some would go far enough that they couldn’t take care of themselves. He didn’t think it could go that far. Not when it would put them in danger such as this. 

“No honey, I’m not mad at you. You just need to know that hitting people isn’t nice!” James tried to be quick with his words even as his mind raced much quicker. It was hard to wrap his mind around it all, but something in him shifted in that moment. “It’s alright, we can make some food. Let me do it though, alright? You sit there, on that chair.” James pointed at a chair slightly pulled out from the dining room table, easy to be supervised from where James would cook. 

Will didn’t answer, but rather flubbed his lips as he ungracefully toddled to the chair, plopping himself down in the seat with a huff. It was obvious that if he ever had a caregiver before, they had never implemented much in the way of rules. James was almost disheartened by the fact that this boy had never been properly taken care of. He looked small in the long sleeves, which he wiped at his face with the ends of. James had to fight the urge not to coo. How strange it was that everything managed to fall into place once James had realized that Will just wasn’t the same right now as he was when he had first opened the door. 

-

“Don’t needa seep ‘m not ready!” Will protested while fighting off the third yawn in the last few sentences. It was obviously a feeble attempt to get James to watch another episode of Thomas the Train. James was sure he would be fine to never hear the name Thomas again, but something about the bright colours and atmosphere made Will giggle and bounce in his seat, so James endured. That was until he noticed Will sucking on his thumb, drifting off where he rested his head against James’ shoulder. It was kind of adorable, seeing him so vulnerable. 

It got considerably less vulnerable when James tried to make him go to bed, which only threw Will into a tantrum. He didn’t want to lose what he had right now. Didn’t want this moment of truly feeling safe and happy to slip away. He just couldn’t keep his eyes open, even as he sat up, refusing to admit that he was tired at all. James had to fight a smile as Will rubbed his eyes to try and hide that he was having trouble holding up his own head. 

“Come on then, Will. Let’s go to bed.” James tried to sound authoritative, but it was somehow harder with Will than Fraser. He brushed it off as Will being younger, and James being newer to taking care of him in general. “I’ll read you a story?” James asked, trying to think of what most normal parents would do for their kids in situations like these. 

Will’s face lit up, sleepy eyes paired with a bright smile. He didn’t bother responding with anything more than an excited nod. James stood to his feet and rolled his eyes at the immediate protest from Will. 

“Jameyyy! Up!” Will stretched out his arms, making grabby hands at James, who was trying to decide if it would be worth possibly throwing out his back. It didn’t really take long for the decision to be made. James wanted to make up for all of the years Will had probably gone through this alone. It would feel wrong to deny him of one of the simple pleasures which was being treated rightfully as a child. 

James wrapped his arms around Will, pulling him up so that Will would wrap his body around him like a koala. The boy giggled as James’ hands skirted his sides, causing him to flinch a bit. James chuckled at the squeak Will emitted upon being carried, even as his back protested the action. It was soft, and sweet. It felt almost right for James to be taking care of him, though he hated that Will had to be pushed to this point of breaking.

It was all soft, and as James put Will down to sleep, the boy looked up at him, sleepy eyes looking hazy, lips twisted into a face of deep thought. 

“What are you thinking about, Will?” James asked softly while pulling Will’s hoodie off, poking his sides playfully while doing so to hear him squeal again.

Will smiled up at James, and worked to shimmy off his own sweats. He rarely ever slept in anything besides boxers. “I dint wan you to find out.” Will looked away then, voiced pitched slightly lower, but still sounding very out of it. James tried to think of an easy way to explain to a child that they weren’t a burden for just acting their own age at that moment. “You wan’ed a tell me somin. Wha was it?” Will was still fighting off sleep even as he rolled himself up in blankets.

James had to smile at that. It seemed so strange that today of all days was to be the one that James wanted to confess his feelings for the boy in the small London flat. Maybe something like fate had a role in it all, but James wasn’t really the type to believe in such things. He just liked to believe in happy coincidences. 

“I just came over to tell you I love you.” James spoke in a tone which had always been reserved for Will, and began tucking the covers in around his body, which was much too big for his mind. 

“Oh, okays! I love you too.” nothing else Will had said that night sounded nearly so serious, and it made James’ heart skip a beat. It felt genuine and sweet. It was a different type of love from what James had developed over the years, but just within this day, Will had James wrapped around his finger. A different love had formed, only making their bond stronger. It all was quite nice to think about. 

“Now, how about that bedtime story?” James said as soon as he managed to catch his breath. “I wanna tell you about this really handsome prince.”


End file.
